Having been the hero of Ryan Coogler’s previous two films Fruitvale Station and Creed – Michael B. Jordan is now portraying the villain in the director’s latest outing, playing Erik Killmonger in Marvel’s Black Panther.

Jordan discusses with us what attracted him to signing on to the project and the joy in playing a role so complex, far removed from your archetypal supervillain. He goes on to talk about his working relationship with Coogler, and how he’s witnessed the talented (and ridiculously young) filmmaker’s growth across the years.

He then talks about his own ambitions to one day direct, and how thrilled he is to be a part of such a mainstream project with Black Panther that celebrates black culture and identity in such a positive way. And finally, we couldn’t resist a question on Creed 2, as Jordan is soon set to return to the ring for the eagerly anticipated sequel.

Watch the full interview below…

Synopsis

After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

Black Panther is released on February 13th – and you can read our 4* review of the film here.

Stefan Pape is the reviews and interviews editor for the site. Considering his favourite thing to do is watch a movie and then annoy everybody by talking about it - it's safe to say he's in the right job.